Maddox Chivan Jolie is the eldest child of actress and filmmaker Angelina Jolie. Born in Cambodia and adopted by Jolie in 2002, he has attracted public interest because of his internationally recognised family, his connection to Cambodian culture and his behind-the-scenes work on several film productions. Although some search results describe him simply as an actor, his most substantial documented screen work has been in production, assistant directing, and executive producing roles.
His name also requires careful explanation. For many years he appeared in media and film credits as Maddox Jolie-Pitt. More recently, he has used Maddox Jolie professionally, including on the film Couture. In July 2026, public notices confirmed that he had petitioned a California court to change his legal name to Maddox Chivan Jolie. That legal process was still pending at the time of writing, so older reports and credits may continue to use Jolie-Pitt.
Quick Bio
| Field | Verified information |
|---|
| Full name requested in 2026 filing | Maddox Chivan Jolie |
| Earlier name in public records | Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt |
| Professional credit used recently | Maddox Jolie |
| Date of birth | 5 August 2001 |
| Birthplace | Battambang, Cambodia |
| Known for | Angelina Jolie’s eldest child and film-production contributor |
| Mother | Angelina Jolie |
| Adoptive father | Brad Pitt |
| Notable production work | First They Killed My Father, Maria and Couture |
| Education | Enrolled at Yonsei University to study biochemistry |
| Other documented interest | Aviation and pilot training |
The table includes only information reported by established publications or supported by professional film records.
Who Is Maddox Chivan Jolie?
Maddox was born on 5 August 2001 in Battambang, a city in northwestern Cambodia. Angelina Jolie adopted him in 2002 when he was approximately seven months old. Jolie completed the adoption as a single parent, although she was married to actor Billy Bob Thornton at the time. Brad Pitt later began the adoption process for Maddox after entering a relationship with Jolie, and the child was subsequently known as Maddox Jolie-Pitt.
His identity is sometimes confused with other people who use the single name “Maddox,” including the American writer and internet personality George Ouzounian and several musicians. The Maddox discussed here is specifically Angelina Jolie’s Cambodia-born son, whose documented public work has been primarily associated with filmmaking.
Being part of one of Hollywood’s most closely followed families has created continuing interest in his life. Yet Maddox has not built a conventional celebrity career based on interviews, social media influencing or frequent acting roles. Most reliable information about him comes from recognised film credits, public events and comments made by Jolie during established media interviews.
Early Life and Cambodian Background
Cambodia has remained central to the way Jolie has discussed her relationship with Maddox. She first developed an interest in the country while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider there. She later returned for humanitarian work and adopted Maddox from Battambang in 2002.
Rather than treating his birthplace as a minor biographical detail, Jolie has publicly described efforts to help him understand Cambodia’s people, culture and difficult modern history. That commitment became especially visible through First They Killed My Father, her Khmer-language film based on Loung Ung’s memoir about surviving the Khmer Rouge period.
Jolie said that one of her reasons for making the film was to help her son understand his countrymen. Maddox took part in production meetings, read the screenplay and offered notes before receiving an executive-producer credit. The production was filmed in Cambodia with a predominantly Cambodian cast and crew, giving him an opportunity to spend an extended period working in his birth country.
This connection provides more meaningful context than the usual description of Maddox as merely a “celebrity son.” His involvement in the film linked his family background, cultural heritage and developing interest in production.
Education in South Korea
In 2019, Maddox enrolled at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, where he reportedly planned to study biochemistry. Reports at the time said that he had studied Korean before beginning university and had chosen Yonsei after considering other institutions.
His studies were disrupted when the COVID-19 pandemic affected university teaching and international travel in 2020. Jolie said at the time that he continued studying remotely and intended to return when circumstances allowed. Reliable public reporting does not clearly establish whether he completed the degree, so claims about his graduation or current academic qualifications should be avoided.
Career, Film Work and Public Recognition
Maddox’s screen record is broader than a single job, but it does not support presenting him primarily as a mainstream actor. IMDb lists him as an actor and assistant director, while reputable entertainment reporting indicates that his more significant contributions have been behind the camera.
His earliest widely reported screen appearance was a small, uncredited role as a zombie in the 2013 film World War Z. He later worked as a trainee on Jolie’s 2015 drama By the Sea. These early experiences introduced him to practical film production without positioning him as a featured performer.
The strongest credit associated with his name is First They Killed My Father. Released by Netflix in 2017, the film was directed by Jolie and adapted from Loung Ung’s memoir. Maddox served as an executive producer and participated in script discussions and production meetings. His role was particularly relevant because the story examined Cambodian history and was made largely in Cambodia.
He later worked alongside his brother Pax on Maria, Pablo Larraín’s film starring Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas. Jolie said her sons carried out assistant-directing work on the production and had previously gained similar on-set experience. Maddox was credited in the production department for the 2024 film.
His involvement continued with Alice Winocour’s drama Couture. People confirmed that he worked as an assistant director and appeared in the credits as Maddox Jolie, rather than Maddox Jolie-Pitt. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 and received a French theatrical release in February 2026.
Taken together, these credits suggest a developing interest in film production. They do not prove that he intends to pursue filmmaking permanently, but they show more sustained professional involvement than the vague “actor” label found on many biography pages.
Aviation and Other Interests
Maddox has also trained in aviation. Jolie discussed his flying lessons when he was younger and later confirmed during a 2024 television appearance that he had become a pilot. She has connected his interest in flying with her own experience as a licensed pilot.
Beyond university, film and aviation, reliable information about his present-day professional plans is scarce. There is no sound basis for assigning him an unverified business career, personal fortune or permanent occupation.
Family, Relationships and Public Interest
Maddox is one of six children raised by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. His siblings are Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. He has appeared with family members at selected premieres and official events, including the 2023 White House state dinner held in honour of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Coverage of the Jolie-Pitt family has often focused on conflict between the parents. A responsible profile does not need to repeat allegations, speculate about private relationships or interpret a surname decision as proof of every claim made by unnamed sources.
What can safely be reported is that Maddox began using Maddox Jolie in professional film materials and filed a legal petition in 2026 seeking the name Maddox Chivan Jolie. A newspaper notice was published as part of California’s name-change procedure, with a court hearing scheduled for September 2026. Until a court decision is reported, the requested legal change should not be described as completed.
No dependable public evidence establishes a spouse, partner or children. Such claims should therefore be excluded rather than inferred from social media posts or entertainment gossip.
Why People Search for Maddox Chivan Jolie
Readers generally search for his name for five related reasons: to understand how he is related to Angelina Jolie, to learn about his adoption from Cambodia, to identify his film credits, to check his university background, and to understand why different versions of his surname appear online.
The most useful answer is that Maddox is not simply an actor living on his mother’s fame. He has completed documented behind-the-scenes work on internationally released films, including an executive-producer role tied closely to Cambodian history. At the same time, he has not developed the kind of extensive independent public career that would justify exaggerated claims about wealth, fame or professional status.
His changing screen credit and 2026 name petition have created renewed search interest, but those developments should be described through confirmed records rather than interpreted through family rumours.
What Is Confirmed
The strongest publicly supported facts are straightforward: Maddox was born in Battambang in 2001, adopted by Angelina Jolie in 2002 and later adopted by Brad Pitt. He studied biochemistry at Yonsei University, worked on several film productions and trained as a pilot. He used Maddox Jolie in recent professional credits and petitioned to legally adopt Maddox Chivan Jolie in 2026.
Claims about his current residence, relationship status, net worth, university graduation or long-term career direction are not sufficiently established by reliable public evidence.
Accuracy, Privacy and Responsible Reporting
Maddox is connected to globally recognised actors, but that does not make every part of his personal life legitimate public material. This profile relies on established reporting, direct family comments, public legal notices and recognised film records. It avoids unconfirmed financial estimates, relationship rumours and supposed private details copied between low-quality biography websites.
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(FAQs)
Is Maddox Chivan Jolie Angelina Jolie’s biological son?
No. Angelina Jolie adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002 when he was an infant. He was her first child.
Is Maddox Jolie an actor?
He has one reported uncredited acting appearance in World War Z, but his better-documented work has been behind the camera as a trainee, production contributor, executive producer and assistant director.
Which films has Maddox worked on?
His reported credits include World War Z, By the Sea, First They Killed My Father, Maria and Couture. His executive-producer work on First They Killed My Father is his most prominent credit.
What did Maddox study at university?
He enrolled at Yonsei University in South Korea in 2019 to study biochemistry. His eventual graduation status has not been reliably confirmed.
Why is he called Maddox Chivan Jolie?
In 2026, he filed a petition seeking to change his legal name from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie. He had already used Maddox Jolie in professional film credits.
Is Maddox a trained pilot?
Angelina Jolie said in 2024 that Maddox had completed pilot training and was a pilot. Aviation had been one of his documented interests for several years.
Maddox’s public story is most accurately understood through his Cambodian origins, education and practical film experience. His famous family explains the attention surrounding him, but his work on culturally meaningful and international productions provides the strongest independent reason for readers to recognise his name.
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